Kensington High Street bike lane

Caroline Russell: The bike lane on Kensington High Street delivered under your Streetspace programme provided a much-needed safe cycle link in West London but is now planned for removal by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC). You have said that the: “council must rethink the decision to scrap it.” Will you use your powers to take control of the road and provide safe space for cycling?

The Mayor: I am disappointed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s (RBKC’s) decision to scrap the much-needed segregated cycle route along Kensington High Street. The scheme had been in for just seven weeks when this decision was made but was already delivering a significant increase in the numbers of people choosing to cycle along this busy and intimidating road.
Transport for London’s (TfL) Temporary Strategic Cycling Analysis has shown that providing a safe cycling route along this road is important for supporting London’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. This is due to pressures on public transport in the area, where capacity is still limited by the need to comply with social distancing guidelines, and a lack of alternative east-west cycle routes within RBKC.
TfL has written to the borough setting out a formal objection to their decision. TfL is awaiting the response from RBKC. Regarding adopting Kensington High Street into the TfL Road Network, I take nothing off the table at this point. However, that option would take time to implement, while safety improvements for cyclists in RBKC are needed now. I would prefer that RBKC sees sense and reinstates the cycle lane as quickly as possible, and TfL will continue to consider how best this can be achieved.

MPS flights and hotels costs

Susan Hall: What is the cost of (1) flights, and (2) hotels for MPS officers for 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 to date. Please also break down the costs for the flights for each year by first class, business and economy.

The Mayor: (1) Total cost of flights per year and breakdown of First, Business, Economy and Premium Economy class travel since 2016/17:
Period
Ticket Class
Total (£)
1 April 2016 – 31 Mar 2017
First Class
Business Class
Economy Class
Premium economy
£141,000
£1,373,000
£575,000
£1,382,000
Total
£3,471,000
1 April 2017 – 31 Mar 2018
First Class
Business Class
Economy Class
Premium economy
£263,000
£1,031,000
£537,000
£1,589,000
Total
£3,420,000
1 April 2018 – 31 Mar 2019
First Class
Business Class
Economy Class
Premium economy
£167,000
£1,960,000
£1,181,000
£1,312,000
Total
£4,620,000
1 April 2019 – 31 Mar 2020
First Class
Business Class
Economy Class
Premium economy
£149,000
£1,439,000
£260,000
£1,113,000
Total
£2,961,000
1 April 2020 – 30 Sept 2020*
Business Class
Premium Class
Economy Class
£33,000
£1,000
£85,000
Total
£119,000
*Some airlines do not have First Class and offered Business Class as their First Class. Numerous UK domestic flights will only offer Premium Class only.
The MPS Policy is for Officers to travel in Economy Class at all times, unless there is an operational reason that require officers to travel in either First or Business Class.

(2) Total cost of hotels per year since 2016/17: Period
Hotel Total Cost (£)
1 April 2016 – 31 Mar 2017
£1,119,410
1 April 2017 – 31 Mar 2018
£1,635,784
1 April 2018 – 31 Mar 2019
£2,026,105
1 April 2019 – 31 Mar 2020
£933,560.72
1 April 2020 – 30 Sept 2020
£244,166

First Group TOL’s Cooperation with TFL on Tram Safety (2)

Keith Prince: Since (a) that email was written less than a year after the Sandilands crash and (b) TfL’ s evidenced powerlessness to amend its 30 year contract with First Group TOL, what gives you confidence that First Group is cooperating with TfL on Tram Safety now?

The Mayor: There have been a number of positive examples demonstrating that TOL is co-operating with Transport for London (TfL) on Tram Safety issues. The work to implement the RAIB recommendations have required a high degree of collaborative work between the TOL and TfL teams. For example, the industry leading Physical Prevention of Overspeed system, now in service across the whole network, required close co-operation to ensure the system could be introduced effectively. Further, the teams work closely together on a daily basis in responding to things like instances of trespass and vandalism, with TOL ensuring that the response received from the British Transport Police is appropriate and targeted to the right areas. Local specific safety campaigns to reduce instances of things like slips, trips and falls in depots and on the network are also carried out to make sure the possibility of staff and passengers being injured are eliminated.
There is no complacency.TfL takes its safety responsibilities seriously.TfL expects TOL to do the same and will take such steps in the day to day working relationship with TOL, pursuant to the contract with TOL and in relation to the Office of Rail and Road as are appropriate to promote and ensure co-operation and compliance.